1923 in Wales

← 1922 1921 1920 1923 in Wales → 1924 1925 1926
Centuries:	18th 19th 20th 21st
Decades:	1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s
See also:	List of years in Wales 1923 in The United Kingdom Ireland Scotland

This article is about the particular significance of the year 1923 to Wales and its people.

Incumbents

• Prince of Wales – Edward
• Princess of Wales – vacant
• Archbishop of Wales – Alfred Edwards, Bishop of St Asaph
• Archdruid of the National Eisteddfod of Wales
  • Dyfed (outgoing)
  • Cadvan (incoming)

Events

• 1 January - All major railways in Great Britain are amalgamated into the "Big Four" companies under terms of the Railways Act 1921. The Cambrian Railways and a number of smaller lines and their docks in south Wales are merged into the Great Western Railway and the London and North Western Railway and Midland Railway become part of the London, Midland and Scottish Railway.^[1]
• 13 February - The British Broadcasting Company makes its first broadcast in Wales, from "Station 5WA" in Cardiff. Mostyn Thomas opens the programme, singing Dafydd y Garreg Wen and Gwilym Davies becomes the first speaker to broadcast in the Welsh language.^[2]
• 7 April - By-election at Anglesey ends in victory for Robert Thomas.
• 26 April - In a mining accident at Trimsaran, nine miners are killed.
• 1 June - The final stage of the Welsh Highland Railway re-opens.^[3]
• 6 December - In the United Kingdom general election:
  • Ellis William Davies returns to Parliament as MP for Denbigh.
  • David Grenfell is elected unopposed in Gower.
  • Rhys Hopkin Morris gains Ceredigion for the Independent Liberals (from the Liberals).
  • Thomas Henry Parry retains Flintshire for the Liberals with an increased majority.
• Coal production at Llay Main Colliery in the North Wales Coalfield begins.
• Creation of the new Anglican Diocese of Swansea & Brecon. Edward Bevan becomes its first Bishop.
• Sir William Henry Hoare Vincent becomes a member of the Council of India.
• Maurice Jones is appointed Principal of St David's University College, Lampeter.

Arts and literature

• 5 February - W. H. Davies marries Helen Payne, an ex-prostitute thirty years his junior, at East Grinstead.
• 6 June - Charles Langbridge Morgan marries Hilda Vaughan.
• W. S. Gwynn Williams becomes Director of Music for the Gorsedd of Bards.

Awards

• National Eisteddfod of Wales (held in Mold, Flintshire)
• National Eisteddfod of Wales: Chair - D. Cledlyn Davies
• National Eisteddfod of Wales: Crown - Albert Evans Jones

New books

• Edward Tegla Davies - Gŵr Pen y Bryn
• Thomas Richards - Religious Developments in Wales (1654–1662)

Music

Film

• 14 September - G.A. Cheetham, son of cinema pioneer Arthur Cheetham, films the unveiling of the war memorial at Aberystwyth and other scenes of the life of the town, to be shown in local cinemas.
• Ivor Novello appears in The Man Without Desire, The White Rose and Bonnie Prince Charlie.

Sport

• Boxing
  • 18 June – Jimmy Wilde loses his world flyweight title and retires from the sport.
• Rugby union
  • 7 December - Old Penarthians RFC is founded.

Births

• 22 February – Bleddyn Williams, rugby player (died 2009)
• 28 February - John Gwilliam, rugby player
• 3 April - John Ormond, poet and journalist (died 1990)
• 21 April - Ronald Cass, film composer (died 2006)
• 25 April - Paul Whitsun-Jones, actor (died 1974)
• 26 July - Bernice Rubens, novelist (died 2004)
• 19 August – Dill Jones, pianist (died 1984)
• 3 September – Robin Williams, broadcaster and essayist (died 2003)
• 22 September – Dannie Abse, poet (died 2014)
• 30 September – Donald Swann, musician (died 1994)
• 1 October – Trevor Ford, footballer (died 2003)
• 5 October – Glynis Johns, actress
• 6 November – Donald Houston, actor (died 1991)
• 13 November – Alf Sherwood, footballer (died 1990)
• 21 November - Harry Greene, television D-I-Y expert (died 2013)
• 30 November - John James, historical novelist (died 1993)
• 8 December - Gwilym Prys Prys-Davies, Baron Prys-Davies, politician
• 19 December – Elwyn Jones, television writer (died 1982)

Deaths

• 9 January - Richard John Lloyd Price, squire of Rhiwlas, 79
• 22 February – John Jenkins, Prime Minister of South Australia, 71
• 6 March - General Sir Owen Thomas, politician, 64
• 19 March - Evan Rees (Dyfed), poet, 73
• 1 April - Lady Llangattock, socialite, benefactor and collector, 86
• May – J. Brynach Davies (Brynach), poet, c.50
• 27 May – Charles Lewis, rugby player, 70
• 18 July – Thomas Arthur Lewis, teacher, lawyer and politician, 41
• 12 October – John Cadvan Davies, poet and hymn-writer, 77

Notes